Social Media Bill Scales Second Reading in Senate as Rep Member Condemns Proposed Death Penalty
The controversial Bill titled: “A Bill for an Act to make provisions for the protection from internet falsehood and manipulations and for related matters, 2019,” was sponsored by Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, representing Niger East.
In his debate, Senator Musa, said it has become imperative to curb the excesses of those using the social media to cause disaffection and assassination of character through fake news.
“The hoax about the death of President Muhammadu Buhari in London and his replacement with Jibril from Sudan was a great threat to the peace and security of this country,” Musa said.
Senators Ibrahim Gobir, Ishaku Clifford Elisha Abbo, Abba Moro and Bala Ibn Na’Allah supported the Bill.
However, only Senator Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu East), strongly opposed the Bill.
When the Bill was put to voice vote by Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Senators approved it for second reading.
Lawan referred the Bill to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further legislative work.
Meanwhile, a member of the House of Representatives, Rep James Faleke (APC-Lagos), has disagreed with the death sentence for hate speech as proposed by a bill currently before the Senate.In an interview with journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, Faleke said though there was need to curb hate speech, the death penalty was, however, taking it to the extreme.
The lawmaker, who represents Ikeja Federal Constituency of Lagos State, however, threw his weight behind the death penalty for terrorism and kidnapping.
“It is the area of punishment that we should be concerned about.
“I think we need to have a law on hate speech because it can cause war, crisis and disharmony in the country.
“Your right to free speech must be within the ambit of the law to bring harmony and good relationship among the people.
“But I will not support a death penalty for hate speech.
“For kidnapping and terrorism, I support death sentence as passed by some state assemblies,” he said.
The Hate Speech Bill, which passed first reading last week at the Senate, was sponsored by the Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Sabi Abdullahi.
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